Fields of Athenry

**ArdeeBhoy** · 21/06/2012, 8:46 PM

Originally Posted by brine3

I choose to go to some away matches instead. What's the big deal...

I'm already spending more money and giving up much more of my time than people who go to all the home matches.

Apart from lots of people who go to most, if not all, home games from England and beyond.

Away is better than home generally, but once a decade is surely not too much to ask...

**Bungle** · 22/06/2012, 11:16 AM

There were lots of lads at the games who wouldn't normally set foot in the Aviva that were in Poland. However, they were some of the best lads I met out there! They were great craic and entered in to the spirit and behaved themselves the way we expect Irish fans to. Many of them admitted that they were "bandwagon". Some enjoyed themselves so much that they said that they will start going to the home games in the future and making that effort. It's nothing new that people get on the bandwagon. I remember some of Jack's earliest games having dire attendances.

Yes, I might smirk at many of the Sky Tv "Football was only invented after 1993" brigade. I've met a few whoppers out there in pubs who think that Liverpool and Everton have never been champions etc. Really, they do little harm. Many of them would be the type of lads that I spent great evenings with in Poland.

There is also the superfan syndrome of guys that think they have a divine right to their team. I witnessed in Poland two lads wearing league of Ireland jerseys trying to antagonise Spanish fans by grabbing their flag and attempting to urinate on it. I had spoken to them earlier and they told me they hadn't missed an Ireland game home or away for 13 years. They were moaning about all the rugby ang gaa brigade who were in Poland and bumping up the prices for the "good Irish fans who are loyal". This was the only bad moment I saw from our fans in Poland in two weeks. It is noteworthy that they were quickly dealt with, not by the Spanish, but by two groups of Irish lads - one waering Cork City jerseys and another a group of lads wearing Dublin GAA/Leinster jerseys.

All in all, our fans whether seasoned fans or event junkies were outstanding.

**DannyInvincible** · 22/06/2012, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by Bungle

There were lots of lads at the games who wouldn't normally set foot in the Aviva that were in Poland. However, they were some of the best lads I met out there! They were great craic and entered in to the spirit and behaved themselves the way we expect Irish fans to. Many of them admitted that they were "bandwagon". Some enjoyed themselves so much that they said that they will start going to the home games in the future and making that effort. It's nothing new that people get on the bandwagon. I remember some of Jack's earliest games having dire attendances.

We all had to start supporting Ireland somewhere.

There is also the superfan syndrome of guys that think they have a divine right to their team.... I had spoken to them earlier and they told me they hadn't missed an Ireland game home or away for 13 years. They were moaning about all the rugby ang gaa brigade who were in Poland and bumping up the prices for the "good Irish fans who are loyal".

There's the makings of a valid grievance with the gentrification of football in there somewhere, even if it was poorly expressed.

**tetsujin1979** · 22/06/2012, 12:53 PM

one thing that struck me about the fans I met in Poland was the amount of fans from the North, lot of accents that you wouldn't normally hear at the Aviva. then it hit me that it's really hard for these guys to get to qualifiers and friendlies during the year, due to work, holiday time, etc but it was easier to get the tournament as a holiday.

**DannyInvincible** · 22/06/2012, 1:00 PM

Whilst it is of course easier for Dublin-based supporters to attend, lots of fans still travel down from the north. Maybe you'll encounter them less at home games as they'll be on the bus back up rather than in the pubs outside the ground after the game? In Poland, there'd have been a much better opportunity to meet Ireland fans from all over the place before and after the games.

**tetsujin1979** · 22/06/2012, 4:02 PM

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

Whilst it is of course easier for Dublin-based supporters to attend, lots of fans still travel down from the north. Maybe you'll encounter them less at home games as they'll be on the bus back up rather than in the pubs outside the ground after the game? In Poland, there'd have been a much better opportunity to meet Ireland fans from all over the place before and after the games.

that's true, there's also lads from places like Kerry and Donegal where it's a day gone to go a game on a Friday/Tuesday night, so they just don't go.

**brine3** · 23/06/2012, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy

Apart from lots of people who go to most, if not all, home games from England and beyond.

Away is better than home generally, but once a decade is surely not too much to ask...

Wouldn't be caught dead in D4

Hopefully when/if the Parc is redeveloped there might be an international match played in the true capital.

**ArdeeBhoy** · 23/06/2012, 10:34 AM

Ok, start a campaign to play back at Croke then...

**co. down green** · 23/06/2012, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

one thing that struck me about the fans I met in Poland was the amount of fans from the North, lot of accents that you wouldn't normally hear at the Aviva. then it hit me that it's really hard for these guys to get to qualifiers and friendlies during the year, due to work, holiday time, etc but it was easier to get the tournament as a holiday.

The Tuesday/Friday fixtures have made it more difficult for some. Usually means a full day off work on matchday and not getting home sometimes to 1.30 in the morning. Same problems exist for Cork, Donegal lads obviously.

Last train from Dublin to Belfast is 8.50pm which also restricts those who may not drive or have access to a supporters club bus, and for lads from Tyrone, Derry, Fermanagh etc.. the only possibility is via road, although thousands still travel despite the transport issues.

Despite the poor performance of the team, the Euro's have certainly lit the spark for a new generation of supporters from the north & i'd expect ever increasing numbers to travel supporting Ireland. There was massive hype in many areas, with FAI flags and bunting covering the place during the Championships. Hopefully this will have the knock-on effect of seeing the numbers travelling, increase further.

Really enjoyed the mix of supporters from all over the island in Poland, great camaraderie and craic, pity the players never performed.